Rules of the Game

“I want to play hockey, but I don’t even know HOW to play…like, I mean, I don’t even know the rules of the game!”

I know I’ve heard this before, heck, I even said it myself at one point!

But this is not something that should be holding you back from starting to play!

For one, it can be as easy as it is to learn to skate – hit the ice with a stick and your gear, get in on a game and suddenly – bam! – you’re learning the game. Trust me, you’ll learn the rules as you go.

And you’ll get called off-sides, possibly 100’s of times, but eventually, you’ll get it.

For some not-so-light reading regarding all of the rules of hockey, included here are links to both the NHL and USA Hockey’s Rulebooks.

USA Hockey 2013-17 Official Rules of Ice Hockey

“As the National Governing Body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States, USA Hockey is the official representative to the United States Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation.” – USA Hockey

National Hockey League Official Rules

The National Hockey League is one of the four major professional sports associations in North America, boasting 30 professional ice hockey franchises in the US and Canada. The NHL governs the game, sets and enforces rules, regulates team ownership, and collects licensing fees for merchandise. It also negotiates fees for national broadcasting rights. (Each team controls the rights to regional broadcasts.) In addition, five minor and semi-pro hockey leagues also fly under the NHL banner. The league was organized in Canada in 1917.